Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27 KJV
There is no greater peace in all the world than the peace that comes from God. Jesus, who is no less than God incarnate, said that He’s leaving peace with us. Not just any peace; He’s giving us His peace.
The dictionary defines peace as “quiet, tranquility, mental calm.”
- Jesus gives us a quiet spirit. Psalm 4:8 says, “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”
- Jesus offers us a tranquil soul. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
- Jesus provides us with a calm mind. Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
The peace that Jesus provides is calming, assuring, and lasting. It’s not like the world’s peace.
“…not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
What kind of peace does the world have to offer? Money? Friends? Things? These things may soothe you for awhile, but the calming effects are short-lived. At its best, the world can only offer you something to dull the pain: drugs, alcohol, or work. And none of these things provides peace. They actually cause tribulation because they are of the world.
In John 16:33, Jesus said, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
The “peace” of the world only brings trouble and fear. That’s why Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
So, then, how do we live in that peace from day to day when we’re constantly surrounded by the things of this world?
Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” And if Jesus has overcome the world, He makes it possible for us to overcome the world. How?
- By living in the presence of God. Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
- By living in obedience to God. Psalm 119:165 says, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”