John 14 explains that the Lord left peace to us. He left peace to us, like an inheritance. Why is peace so important? Peace affects our relationship with Him and our enjoyment of Him. If you do not have peace, you cannot have joy. So, having peace is your foundation. For example, if you keep your heart close to Him, your heart will surely have peace. You can then overcome all things, because you live in Him. You will have peace. Moreover, you will have His joy and His many provisions for you. However, the first and foremost is that you need to have peace. It’s important that you continue to have peace and to live it out.
In John 16: 33, it says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” The peace that He gives is different from that of the world. The world’s definition of “peace” simply means being free from sufferings. When the Lord faced the cross, He was able to give us peace. This is peace that does not depend on circumstances. Nothing can take away the peace He gives us. In the world we have tribulation, but we can take heart because He has overcome the world. He can also help us to overcome the world. We do so by being heart to heart with Him. We can only have peace IN Him.
Peace is not something you can see or feel. The Lord did not say, “Here is a bottle of peace for you.” Instead, peace is something for you to gain in Him. When you enjoy being heart to heart with Him, you also enjoy peace. Spiritual blessings are bundled together. For instance, if you ask the Lord to help you to be joyful, He’ll do more than that. Instead, when you enjoy the Lord, you will have joy together with peace and holiness! In 1 Corinthians 1, it mentions clearly that the Lord became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Are you pursuing sanctification? When you simply enjoy the Lord, you are sanctified. Actually, when you are in Him, you are already sanctified. If you’re not abiding in Him, you need to pray, “Lord save me” to be sanctified again.
In Song of Solomon 8, the Shulamite represents us. In this chapter, she has matured, as her love with the Lord has deepened. Verse 10 says, “I was a wall”: the wall means she has been sanctified. In the same verse it says “My breasts were like towers”. This illustrates her maturity. Her bosom represents her love for the Lord, and this love satisfies His heart. Moreover, she can nurture many believers. Even her companions desired to hear her voice. She says, “Then I was in his eyes as one who finds peace.” When you are mature, your heart has peace. The more you practice, the faster you become mature. Your experience with Him also affects your maturity. In a few short years, Paul had already grown very quickly. When I had believed for only a year, I was already quite mature. Your spiritual growth depends on how much you experience Him rather than how much you know. For example, when you listen to messages, you must ask the Lord to open your spiritual eyes. Then, He works in you and helps you in your heart and mind.
Isaiah 30 tells us something very important, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” Isaiah 26 says, “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” It’s simple: you just need to continue to rely on Him. If you keep your mind on Him and trust in Him, you are relying on Him. He is the one who provides for you and helps you to overcome all things. If you fail, just pray, “Lord, save me,” This is relying on the Lord too. You may also pray, “Lord, I rely on you.” Those who rely on Him will not be ashamed.
In Psalm 131, David said, “O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.” Although he was a warrior, his heart was calm and quiet. Otherwise, how could he write so many psalms? If his heart was too occupied, how could he possibly write Psalm 23? Being a man after God’s heart, David received much from God. That’s why he was able to write so many psalms. Moreover, he received instructions on how to build the holy temple. He benefited from spending his youth in the wilderness. His heart was calm and quiet, like a weaned child with its mother. I hope your heart can also be calm and quiet so that you can receive much from Him. You will become close to Him, your relationship with Him will deepen, and you will become a man after His heart.
Colossians 3 says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” You are safeguarded when the Lord rules in your heart. In other words, when you have peace in your heart, you will have discernment, and you will know what His will is. Also, you let Him take charge and guard your heart.
Philippians 4 reads, “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” When you lose your peace, you will feel chaotic, and it becomes difficult to guard your heart. You will easily fall into sin. The devil tries to shake you by first disturbing your mind and making your spirit weak. You must quickly pray, “Lord, save me!” Don’t try to argue with the devil. It’s foolish to do so. Just ignore him and pray, “Lord, save me,” or cast him away.
Psalm 119: 165 says, “Great peace have those who love your law.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 23 mentions about the God of peace. Peace is related to sanctification. If your heart is not at peace, it’s impossible for you to be sanctified. You cannot experience or enjoy the Lord much. It is so precious that the Lord will surely work in your heart and accomplish this. He will cause you to love Him more, and this is what he wants because He asks, “Do you love me?” We need to give Him time and space, and the state of our heart must be suitable for Him to do His work.