In this season, life has gone beyond hard. No matter what corner of the globe you live in 2020 hit us all. How do you keep the peace of God when life doesn’t make sense? When you are waiting or when the chaos of life is robbing you of peace it feels hard, but there are 7 ways we will learn in Isaiah 26 today.
Trusting God, actively, even a bit fearfully, is a huge step toward keeping the peace of God in your life at all times. He is trustworthy. Just remember how He has shown up in the past to help you have faith enough to give… Share on XWhy Do You Need The Peace of God?
Why do we need the peace of God when it feels impossible to keep?
I am here to tell you that any born again, child of God can experience the peace of God and walk in it daily!
God’s peace is real. This is a benefit given to us as co-heirs with Christ. You can have peace, even amidst the chaos of this world, because you are HIS.
Don’t forfeit it because it feels elusive. Keep leaning into Him for it and you will find confidence in Christ like you never imagined possible.
Related: 33 Bible Verses About Confidence in Christ
Peace of God Bible Verses To Claim
Maybe you don’t believe God’s peace is real, free, and accessible to any Christian. Here are a few of the peace of God scriptures to help convince you.
“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast, [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character] because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].” Isaiah 26:3 AMP
“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.” John 16:33 ESV
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27 NASB
“The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace.” Psalm 29:11 NASB
Find more Bible verses about peace and unity here.
What Does the Bible Say About The Peace of God?
There are over 420 mentions of the word peace in the Bible. That is more Bible verses than talk about Fear Not which is saying something.
My favorite things the Bible says about peace are:
- The Peace of God goes beyond what we can understand!
- The peace of God that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
- His peace is like a presence that will stay with you.
- May the peace of God be with you (2 Thessalonians 3:16).
- God of peace is one of His names!
- The God of peace name is, Jehovah-Shalom – The Lord Is Peace (Judges 6:24).
What Does Peace of God Mean?
For years, Isaiah 26:3-4 has been important to me. As a person who battles anxiety, peace can feel elusive at times. Maybe that’s why I am so passionate to keep my hope in Christ…
Isaiah 26 is full of practical advice on how to get the peace of God and keep it when life is hard.
First, what does the peace of God mean?
Peace – the Hebrew word ‘shalowm’ can be translated as:
- Soundness
- Safety
- Health
- Prosperity
- Contentment
- Friendship
- Peace from war
What is the Peace That Surpasses All Understanding?
I love the way Bible Commentator Matthew Henry describes this peace that passes understanding:
“Thou wilt keep him in peace; in perfect peace. Inward peace, outward peace, peace with God, peace of conscience, peace at all times, in all events.
Trust in the Lord for that peace, that portion, which will be forever. Whatever we trust to the world for, it will last only for a moment; but those who trust in God shall not only find in him, but shall receive from him, strength that will carry them to that blessedness which is for ever. “
The peace of God is a peace that consumes you, causing you to be at ease no matter what life throws at you. That is the peace that passes all understanding! It is what we all want in our lives, but how do we get it?
How To Get and Keep The Peace Of God
Now that we understand that the peace of God is a sort of soundness and contentment that God gives us deep in our spirit which wells up and spills out of us, the next logical question is how.
How can you get God’s peace?
A closer look at Isaiah 26 will show us 7 steps to get and keep the peace of God no matter what life looks like.
- Worship and Remember God Wins
- Keep your mind fixed on God.
- Trust in God.
- Live a righteous life.
- Wait on God.
- Desire the things of God.
- Watch for God to move.
Worship And Remember God Wins
“And it will be said in that day,
“Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us.
This is the Lord for whom we have waited;
Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” Isaiah 25:9 NASB
The prophet Isaiah is probably my favorite prophet because he slips from chastising Israel for turning from God, into End Times prophecy so often. Chapter 25 is like that. In the prophecy, Isaiah saw God victorious over the enemies of Israel.
This is THE day we are all waiting for. The day God steps back into our stratosphere to wage war against the real enemy of humanity.
God wins! He is the Victor, the Savior of the World who has already conquered sin and death will once and for all stand up over His children and fight for us.
It doesn’t matter what this life throws at you, how crazy the world is, or how hopeless you feel in the current situation, there is peace in that truth. God has won. Jesus will win. You are His and can celebrate the victory right now.
Worship Chases Worry Away
“In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah” Isaiah 26:1
In that Day… That day when we celebrate the victory face to face with Jesus!
The entire chapter we are studying today is a song. Isaiah is worshiping God in the midst of destruction, deportation, and unrepentant desensitization to sin.
He isn’t worshiping God because he expects God to step in and fix their mess, no he is worshiping God because God will ultimately fix the bigger mess of the world. He is worshiping God because despite how faithless God’s children are, He is faithful to keep His covenant.
We can know the peace of God today – no matter what season we are walking through -because we know God is victorious and we are His. That is reason enough to worship God with our entire lives!
Related: An Overview Of The Book of Isaiah
Keep Your Mind Fixed on God
Verse 3 is my favorite of the entire passage and I’ve learned it in so many translations they sort of all bleed together on me. It’s one time when This is one of those scriptures on peace from the KJV stand out.
These are my favorite four:
- “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you.” NIV
- “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” NLT
- “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.” ESV
- “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” KJV
The theme that runs through them all is that getting and keeping the peace of God comes when our mind is focused on Him. The mind is key in our mental health and we see that truth repeated in Scripture over and over again.
If we will keep our mind focused on God we will experience the peace of God. How do you keep your mind focused on God when life is hard or when impossible situations come your way?
Related: How To Claim The Power of Peace of Mind with Anxiety
Trust in God
Verse 3 also says that our mind is fixed on Him or steadfast in faith because we trust Him. Can I ask you to take a moment and truly evaluate your heart here?
Do you trust God? It’s one thing to become a Christian, it’s another thing to walk every day as a disciple of Christ.
- Many people claim to trust God to save them from Hell but refuse to let God rule in their daily lives.
- Yes, they want to spend eternity in Heaven, but they also want to enjoy the pleasures of sin:
- Flirt with the cute man in the office
- Eat their feelings
- Watch pornography after everyone in the house is asleep
- Gossip about the new pianist after service on Sunday
Do You Trust God With Your Day to Day Life Decisions?
Are you living your life with open hands, allowing God to move and change anything He sees that needs to be molded more into His image?
Most of us would not be able to tick that box. Trusting God, who has plans we can’t see and ways we can’t understand is challenging.
But trusting God, actively, even a bit fearfully, is a huge step toward keeping the peace of God in your life at all times.
He is trustworthy. Just remember how He has shown up in the past to help you have faith enough to give Him everything today.
You Can Trust God:
I love the way Christianity Today sums up Isaiah 26 with regard to God being Jehovah Shalom.
Even in their spiritual lapses, forgetfulness, and unfaithfulness, God never abandoned His people. He was always near to:
- Provide for their needs (Psalms 81:10, Psalms 10:3),
- Protect them from those who sought to do them harm (Isaiah 41:10, Psalms 18:2)
- Remind them of His prevailing love (Isaiah 54:10).
When the Israelites kept their eyes on the Lord, obeyed His commands, and held on to His promises, they found peace in His presence.
Live a Righteous Life
“The way of the righteous is smooth;
O Upright One, make the path of the righteous level.” Isaiah 26:7
Do you see a progression in getting and keeping the peace of God? Each piece builds on the last in a beautiful process that is meant to slowly chip away at the “Old Man” and shine up the “New Man” in us.
- Remembering that He wins helps us worship Him.
- That mindset of worship helps us keep our eyes on Him when problems arise.
- Keeping our eyes on Him helps us trust Him more.
- Trusting Him more helps us live in a more righteous way.
What I want to point out in this step is that living a more righteous life is not about a perfect life. Remember God said David was a man after His own heart. God doesn’t expect the righteous to always get it right or live without sin. Only ONE Man ever did that and you are not HIM.
Honestly, righteousness is impossible in and of ourselves. Only through the work of Jesus Christ on the cross and the sanctification of the Holy Spirit within us after salvation can we be counted righteous. See Romans 3: 21-28 and Isaiah 64:6.
Living a righteous life is about staying in open communication with Jesus Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in and through your day to day life.
A righteous person is not a sinless person, but a person who falls short of God’s glory then confesses and gets right back up to walk with Him.
Wait on God
“Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O Lord,
We have waited for You eagerly;” Isaiah 26:8
The stepping stones continue to build as Isaiah lays out the way to God’s peace. Trust Him. Live for Him and with Him. Wait on Him.
Waiting on God is probably the hardest of all these things. I like things to happen in my time (not to mention my way). I want the change to happen yesterday.
Waiting on God brings so peace because it accepts today and doesn’t hurry tomorrow along.
Jennifer Rothschild, in her Bible Study ‘Missing Pieces’, says:
“Waiting on God is being present in the present where God is actively at work in our lives instead of letting our mind wander to the land of “what if”.”
It can be challenging to wait on God, but there is peace in the waiting. Just keep leaning into Him and trusting Him to redeem the waiting time.
Waiting On God In Marriage
Remember that waiting time is never wasted time in the hands of a loving Father.
Waiting on God brings so peace, because it accepts today and doesn't hurry tomorrow along. Waiting time, is never wasted time in the hands of a loving Father. Share on XI have learned this most within my marriage. For years I prayed for God to change my husband. Change him quickly and completely. The process of change has been so slow… sooooo slow.
The truth is, while God was slowly changing my husband, HE was changing me. He was teaching me to forgive, to love deeply, to seek HIM for my satisfaction, to take all my expectations to HIM first.
In the waiting, while I was focused on what I wanted I missed some great times to worship God for the real work HE was doing in my present.
Waiting can bring peace when we are present and focused on what God is up to allowing Him to prepare us for the future He has planned!
Desire The Things of God
“Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls.
At night my soul longs for You, Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently” Isaiah 26:9
Can I be honest with you about this part of seeking God’s peace? I really struggle in the night time. My soul struggles with longing for the things of God at night. At night I long for:
- Entertainment
- to unwind from a tough day.
- Junk food
- to suppress the stress I deal with in parenting a child with Special Needs.
- To-do lists
- to weigh myself on the scales of perfectionism and plan for tomorrow.
- Fantasies
- to distract myself from what’s missing in my life.
Over the past year, the night time has become a real source of sin and struggle for me. God challenged me to commit to desire Him at night.
How Do You Desire the Things of God at Night?
Prayer.
Ah, you knew I would mention prayer today, didn’t you? I just can’t go a single article without praising the blessings that come from a life filled to the brim with prayer!
As I lay down on my pillow and my mind wants to race toward to-do lists or fantasies I have asked the Holy Spirit to prompt me to pray instead. What do I pray about? Whatever crazy thing my mind wants to run to.
- Take the stresses to God and share the hurts and struggles openly with the only One Who can actually fix them!
- Feel all the feelings and give them to God. It is hard at first, but freeing after a while.
- Thank God for all that causes so much work.
- Lift up family and others that come to mind.
When worry and fear tempt me to escape, I turn my mind back to God who is victorious and keep my eyes on Him through prayer. A life bathed in prayer is filled with God’s peace!
Watch for God to Move
“O Lord, Your hand is lifted up yet they do not see it.
They see Your zeal for the people and are put to shame;
Indeed, fire will devour Your enemies.
Lord, You will establish peace for us,
Since You have also performed for us all our works.” Isaiah 26:11-12
They don’t see. That line hit me hard.
They don’t see because they are not watching for what God will do. While we are trusting God, waiting on God, and worshiping God we are keeping our eyes on the horizon. Watching for God to move brings such peace that it can’t be described.
When you are watching for God to move, you often get the first glimpses of His miraculous works and are blown away in awe by how wonderful He is.
If you are NOT watching, you will miss it. Don’t miss it.
How Do You Watch for God?
A Prayer Journal
A prayer journal can help in many ways. Yes, we are right back to the power of prayer. Prayer keeps us in constant communication with God.
When you take the time to journal through your prayer time you are better able to see and be aware when God answers prayer. Answered prayers are how God moves most often in my life.
Related: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Staring A Prayer Journal*
God Sightings
Think of this as a way to be continually having spiritual conversations.
- You see the sunrise and remember God created the sun.
- When a prayer is answered, you talk about how you prayed for that and God moved.
The concept is simple enough that children can do it but practical enough that adults can grow in faith by committing to it. It is about living out Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
Will You Follow These 7 Steps to Keep the Peace Of God In Every Season?
Which of these 7 steps to keep the peace of God do you struggle most with?
- Remember God wins and Worship.
- Keep your mind fixed on God.
- Trust in God.
- Live a righteous life.
- Wait on God.
- Desire The Things of God.
- Watch for God to move.
I agree with TOW theologians that the ultimate message in the book of Isaiah is clear. “God’s desire for those whom he has called as his people is such that if they will not be his people, then they will be no people at all.”
I believe that is part of what we are looking at in our country right now. We have professed to be His but refused to live for Him for too long. If we want to see the change we have to be the change.
Let’s be His people, keep our eyes fixed on Him, and await the day He returns to take us to that perfect peaceful home.
A Prayer to Experience the Peace of God
Jehovah-Shalom,
We come before YOU humbled at the state of the world. At the state of our hearts. At the sin that runs rampant in our culture. We’ve heard enough peace of God sermons to last a lifetime but we haven’t applied the teachings. We confess our sin before YOU Father.
We don’t deserve YOUR intervention, Lord. You are just and righteous to judge us. Please forgive our lip service worship and change us on the inside. We release our tight-fisted control of things and invite you to come in and change and move within us bringing the Peace of God with you.
Thank You, Father, for the victory and peace that we know will come as You work and move in our lives. To YOU be all the honor and glory forever.
Amen
in HIM,
Tiffany of Hope Joy in Christ inspires Christian Women to grow in faith, live out Biblical Marriage Principles and raise Godly Children. Join the Wives Only Facebook Group here or keep up with her through Pinterest.
If you love this, you will love these posts:
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