AGAPE PEACE
As a Spirit-filled Christian, I am EQUIPPED with deep Peace available in every situation.
Peace with God is the foundation for Peace everywhere else.
Just think: one of the most repeated and beloved passages of scripture was given while Israel was preparing to enter into their promised land where they faced bloody hand-to-hand combat! God reaches out with Peace in the face of tension, fear, pain and suffering: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace” Numbers 6:23-26.
No matter how severely the battle rages around us, our Lord offers strength-building Peace in Him. This is the unconditional Peace of God. Here is the key: Our reaction to anything is an indicator of our current level of faith.
Let that sink in and reflect on it a moment.
Calibration Key: My reaction is an indicator of my current level of faith.
Shalom “Peace” is used over 200 times in the Bible (Agape Love, 320 times, Joy over 300.) You can see that I capitalize all the Fruit when writing them, or place “agape” before them because they are divine Fruit and the common meanings of the words in English today are very different. Today “Peace” would typically mean to stop war, stop fighting, get some peace and quiet, to be stress-free and relaxed.
However: Shalom means complete, undivided, in balance, grounded, well, safe, whole.
- As your faith in the Lord grows,
- your understanding of how much He loves you grows,
- your understanding of how perfect His plan for you grows,
- as you understand how perfect He made you,
- how much He Loves you just as you are right where you are,
- how perfectly He is at work this very moment,
- you learn though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, to fear no evil for He is with you through it all.
Read a paraphrase based upon the meanings carried by the original words: Adonai (the one true sovereign Lord, Master, Ruler) bless you with victory, prosperity and strength, guard and protect you; the one true sovereign Lord, Master, Ruler, Adonai make his face to shine light upon you, illuminate you and generously bless you without you incurring an ounce of debt or earning it; the one true sovereign Lord, Master, Ruler Adonai lift up His in favor and pleasure, His love, grace, mercy and salvation upon you and give you shalom (well-being, health, prosperity, peace of mind and spirit.)’”
My reaction is an indicator of my current level of faith.
As faith grows, there will be many, many tests designed to strengthen, not weaken, until it becomes unbreakable. Once your relationship with God is established, Holy Spirit activates in your spirit to release the fruit of unconditional agape life. That’s His part, which includes Peace. Your part is to keep your focus on“work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” Philippians 2:12. What happens is not always in your control, but your REACTION is always in your control! Your experience is dependent on your REACTION.
Will you let YOUR soul become a misery manufacturing machine?
Or, with every challenge, will you guide your soul to become a faith-building superpower?
PRACTICE:
Think of THAT person, THAT obstacle, THAT battle. You know the one. The one you NEED Peace in order to deal with.
Now with that person/situation in mind, relax. Take a deep breath. Wiggle your toes and invite Holy Spirit back onto the throne of your life. Keep breathing fully and relax as if you’re in the arms of the Lord. We have the freedom to choose either fear and frustration or Holy Spirit. His PEACE. Rest in His Peace.
Rest in your GPS’s guidance. The message is coming through on how to stay on Agape Trail: “Be still, and know that I am God…” Psalm 46:10. Progress may seem slow and the practice worthless, but you are opening new ground for Holy Spirit to work through.
