“And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of the soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:7
It is an accepted practice that whenever a nation conquers another by force of war, it leaves a detachment of soldiers behind to protect its interest and enforce its will on the vanquished nation. This foreign military presence in another nation is known as a garrison. Their existence is proof that the host nation has at least been subdued if not pacified. In the same way, the proof that Jesus has vanquished the power of sin in our lives and that He is the undisputable Lord of our lives is proven by the presence of His peace reigning as sentinel over our hearts. As it operates in the world, whenever a garrison is sent packing, it simply signals that all is no longer well and that the claim of the victorious nation to pursue and maintain its interest or conquest is at best tenuous. Therefore, as Christians whenever we lose our peace about a situation or is disturbed, it simply means that we risk moving out of the centre of God’s will for our lives. It means that Jesus’ claim of Lordship over our lives is being put under severe strain or is about to be challenged. It means that we should be vigilant or be ready to withdraw from whatever steps we may be contemplating.
The converse is that when you have peace about a situation, however unlikely it might seem, it shows that God is pleased with you because His interest is being protected or furthered. This means that even when you do not fully understand what is going on, the presence of God’s peace in your heart is proof enough that you are doing the right thing or that you are in His will. The bible enjoins us to guard our hearts with all diligence for out of it comes the issues of life. God’s peace is therefore the perfect sentinel for protecting our hearts from Satan’s infiltration to wreak havoc in our lives. When disturbed, it flashes the warning light in our spirit that warns us to beware of spiritual interlopers and working in concert with God’s word, whose light pinpoints the problem, God’s peace helps us to find and apply His solution to whatever problem might have arisen and thus ensure that God’s will is being done in our lives.
Consequently, the key to enjoying God’s peace in the time of turmoil is to ensure that we do not allow what we see to trouble us and drive away our peace. The warning sign to look out for is when our concerns mirror that of the world. As Christians we are enjoined to live by faith, which represents a step too far for the world that normally lives by sight. This means that we should not fear their fears or be anxious about what troubles them. So, if you have lost your peace, not necessarily because you’ve committed a sin, but because you are straying away from the centre of God’s will and have allowed the worries of the world to strangle your faith in God’s ability to protect your interest, you need to retrieve that piece by focusing on God and trusting in His word and you peace shall return to you.
Prayer:
Lord, let your peace return to me so that my heart will become a comfortable home for your Spirit. Lead me back into the path of righteousness and let the issues of life flow once again from me with your peace as sentinel over my heart in Jesus name.