The Shoes of Peace pt. 3

Preparing for Peace

Ephesians 6:15 “and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;”

What does “Preparation of the gospel of peace” mean?

Preparation- There is something we need to do in order to receive peace and before we can give it.

Preparing to have shalom/peace

Preparing to give shalom/peace

You cannot give what you don’t have.

Preparation- This is the only time in the Bible that this specific word is used. It carries with it not just action, but a mindset.

Today we are focusing on preparing to have peace.

There are specific conditions we are given throughout the Bible in order to obtain peace and we will most definitely look at those down the road, but today we are looking at this differently.

Today we are looking at the mindset we need for peace.

Here are 3 tips that will help us to have the right mindset for peace.

Prepare for chaos, but expect peace.

Mark 13:23 “But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.”

John 16:1-5 ““These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.”

John 16:31-33 “Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.””

Jesus didn’t try to sweeten things up. He didn’t try to put lipstick on the pig! He told them hard truths. He told them to prepare them for difficulties, hardships and tribulations. But He also told them to expect peace because He would be with them!

Discern when you don’t have peace and be willing to allow Holy Spirit to work on rooting that problem out!

You will never have true peace if you try to ignore, run away from, deny, or pretend that don’t have peace.

So often we focus on the problems of other people rather than allowing God to work on us. Stop for a moment and ask yourself if you genuinely believe that you allow God to work on the areas that you are not ok in.

Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”

Search- Examine intimately. Not lip service!

Know- Discern

Thoughts/heart- disquieting thoughts

See- Have vision within me. See beyond the natural.

Wicked- evil, pain (bodily or mental) , sorrow, any idols

The only path to true peace is to allow the Prince of Peace to examine your heart and to reveal what is causing unpeace and then to let Him remove it!

Have an awareness of the spiritual conflict and a determination that the enemy will not steal your peace!

Some definitions of peace- the absence of conflict.

God’s peace is not that way. God’s peace is peace in the midst of conflict!

If a soldier panics in the middle of a battle, he has lost. We must fix our minds on our training and more importantly on our Trainer!

Matthew 10:16–26 NKJV

“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

Sheep in the midst of wolves- We are not to lose our innocence even in battle!

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

Sober- To be calm and collected in spirit (shalom/peace)

If we want peace in our lives, we must be doing whatever is necessary to attain it! That means making Jesus Lord of every part of our life, not just the parts we are comfortable with Him having.

If we want peace it means we need to be honest with ourselves in the areas we don’t have peace in.

If we want peace we need to understand that often calls us into the chaos in order to bring peace to it!

Luke 8:22-25 “Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. But He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!””