Tag: peace

The Power of Prayer – Peace and Strength

Last Week – Forgiveness

THERE IS PEACE FROM GOD IN PRAYER

1.  The REAL CURE for anxiety is to pray – 

Philippians 4:6- Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

2.  Christians will find peace even during challenging times.

Philippians 4:7 –And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

     3. Pray for peace during times of fear, loneliness, anxiety, etc.

     4. Full trust is the only path to true peace.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Colossians 3:12-16 – Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

THERE IS STRENGTH FROM GOD

  1. Real strength comes from within: it is not an outward display all the time. – Ephesians 3:14-16, 20 – For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15  Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
  2. When we need to be strong, Christians can likewise pray for themselves!
  3. We are often weak because we do not practice earnest prayer.

God opens doors of opportunity

  1. Paul realized that God provided him opportunity to teach others    

1 Corinthians 3:5 – For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.

2. He knew that the Lord often opened doors for such opportunities

1 Corinthians 16:9 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

  2 Corinthians 2:12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,

3. He therefore requested prayer that such opportunities would continue –

Colossians 4:3 – Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds

4. As a church, let us pray for opportunity and a willing heart to allow    His strength to be known through us.

I Timothy 2: 8  I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

Joyfully unto the Lord

Psalms 35:9-10

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation.  All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

In this day of covid-19 pandemic, do we still have reason to be Joyful? Has our God given up blessing His kids, those who are born again? Can we still be a blessing to others? Is Jesus the reason for our happiness or have we placed it in things, government, jobs, etc.?  Many “believers” are living fearful lives during this time and I want you to know, that is not how God wants His kids to live.  No, instead He wants us to live joyous victorious lives.  How are you living in these troubling times?

We need to let God know we are a joyful people

Psalms 66:1 Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:

  • We are to rejoice when we are in His presence Psalms 95:2  Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms
  • We need to rejoice in our salvation   
Isaiah 61:10 

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

  • We need to rejoice that we have been given His righteousness
  • We need to rejoice that He took all our sin and shame and turned it into jewels before Him

We find peace in the midst of trials 

Psalms 27:4-6 – 4  One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.5  For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.6  And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord

We have joy even in the midst of life’s greatest trials

  • Joy comes as we gather with other believers
  • God designed fellowship as a source of great joy
  • During great trials we need to run toward God’s house not away from it. – Hebrews 10:24-25 – 24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching Philippians 1:25  And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;

Joy always follows darkness

Psalms 30:5  For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Joy comes with a pure heart

Psalms 32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart

Psalm 51:10-12 – 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

True joy come from having your hope in the right person

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Hebrews 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Peter 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

1 Peter 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Joy comes when the body unifies.

Philippians 2:2  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

  • We need to learn to love each other
  • We need to be on one mind – Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Joy comes from seeing others come to Christ

– I Thessalonians 1:6  And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20   For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?  For ye are our glory and joy.

As a pastor, joy comes in watching your faith grow

Pastors are given to you to teach you truth

Hebrews 13:17  Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Even in persecution, we find joy in your faith

II Corinthians 7:4  Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.

1 John 1:4  And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

2 John 1:12  Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

3 John 1:4  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Joy comes from realizing who it is that keeps us

Jude 1:24

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

John 10:27-30

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30  I and my Father are one.