Having looked at the peace of God via the consciousness of His presence and the scripture.
One of the ways to also access the peace of God is through prayer.
In the place of prayer, we can lay hold on the peace of God.
Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
This is the peace that the human mind cannot fathom. Human understanding cannot comprehend it.
Peace comes from God to us. We can lay hold on the peace of God through prayer.
When situations and circumstances encompass us, one of the things to do is pray. This is done to lay down the burden of the situation at the feet of Christ. In every challenge and battle of life, we are instructed to pray. The major thing He has promised in the challenges is His peace.
One of the things we should desire when we pray is peace. The Lord desires to give us what we need but most importantly He wants us to give us His peace. We can be at peace even while we are praying for a thing. It is the kind of peace that while we have not laid hold on that which we are praying for we are at ease.
As we pray, we can be able to lay hold on the peace of God. God’s peace mounts a guard. He settles us down with what we have requested. Regardless of how complex the situation is, we can find peace.
We can exchange our burdens with the peace of God in the place of prayer. One of the ways to know we have prayed through is that we have peace as we walk out from that place even when we have not laid hold on that which we are praying for.
We will be so overwhelmed by it that the human mind cannot comprehend it.
Matthew 26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder (KJV).
This is a story about Jesus who had a mission to be hung on the cross but His heart was sorrowful and heavy.
In the garden of Gethsemane, the only way for Him to pass through that was to pray. This was Jesus who said, “…if it is thy will let this cup pass over me.”
This was one man who was wondering how he would survive the cross. He was even saying “Lord if it is possible, let this cup pass over me”. He said his soul was sorrowful, he was full of pain, and the weight and burden of carrying the cross were heavy. But the more he prayed, the more the burden was getting lifted to a degree that the bible said the angel of God came and he was strengthened and the same man that was praying and asking that the cup should pass over him, went to meet the disciples and said: “let us go, it’s time”.
What changed? He went into the place of prayer with burden and came out with peace. The peace which he came out with was reflected in him that even when the soldiers came and Peter cut off someone’s ear, he was calm. He was able to restore the ear. He was able to deal with the situation. Two people under the same situation but different reactions, and different responses to the same situation.
One person knew that after this point, he was dying yet he was cool, calm and collected. Somebody stood up from sleep and the other stood up from prayers. So Peter who stood up from sleep brought out his sword and Jesus who stood up from the place of prayers remained calm.
A reason for that was the peace of God. Jesus obeyed the instruction of when you have anxiety and he made his request known to God and the response to that from scripture is that “ the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guide our heart and mind in Christ Jesus”.
Jesus was a perfect example because he demonstrated peace. God has a way of taking care of a man’s burden if he comes to God in the place of prayer and the peace of God will come into the man’s life regardless of what he is facing.
A man who functions in peace will be able to overcome the pressure of life. One of the avenues that God has put in place is through the place of prayer. So there is no situation anyone cannot deal with no matter how complex we think it is.
Jesus showed us that pattern when he was meant to confront the challenge on the cross. Jesus showed us a pattern that a man can walk in peace and overcome trouble when he prays. When we pray we lay hold on the peace of God.
The proof that we have prayed and we have prayed through is that we lay hold on the peace of God. So when we are praying over a matter and the peace of God has not overwhelmed our heart, it could be a sign that we need to pray more because when we pray and pray through, it does not matter how complex the situation can be, we will find out that the peace of God will consume our heart.
So when we are dealing with an issue and we are still full of worries or anxiety, it is a sign to pray more because if we have prayed enough, one of the things that will happen to us even before we lay hold on the manifestation of what we are praying for is the peace of God.
Jesus prayed and he didn’t stop praying until he had that peace. He was calm when the soldiers came because he had overcome. After all, the peace of God had settled the matter. Before the hour of darkness came, the peace of God had settled him.
And the peace of God we are referring to here, the bible says it transcends human understanding such that when we have that kind of peace, we can’t comprehend it, the only thing we know is that the peace of God has taken charge. Through his presence, we have his peace.
For us to access His peace we have to pray. The fact that we haven’t seen anything we are praying on the matter is because we have not prayed through.
When we pray on a matter again, it is to give thanks. The peace of God has taken charge. Praying over a matter over again is a lack of faith.
When we are dealing with an issue we must give it all and pray and pray through. The devil may raise his ugly head.
We keep saying we have a breakthrough. The testimonies are sure. We pray and pray through. The peace of God in all understanding will guide our hearts in Christ. We keep thanking Him because we have His testimonies.
At that level, we are demonstrating faith. If we are not in the peace of God we will not be able to do that. Without the peace of God, we will be full of agitation, there will be anxiety, there will be worry. We will be under tension. When we are in the peace of God there will not be any agitation nor will we be under tension, worrying.
Another means of accessing the peace of God is through His guidance – His leading.
Luke 1:76-79 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace (KJV).
The aforementioned scripture is written about Jesus.
The way of peace being spoken of is talking about the way of salvation. How we have gotten this peace through Jesus Christ who was given to us by the Father.
The light in the verse talks about the gospel. The people sitting in darkness imply those who have not heard the gospel. This is what Jesus will do in the prophecy (which has been fulfilled) in guiding their feet to the way of peace.
This is why the scripture states that no one can come to the Father except the Father has drawn Him.
No one can find a way of peace unless they are guided. This light will guide them to the way of peace.
No one can find the light unless He is being guided. The word “guide” implies light. If there is no light there will be no pathfinding.
Practically, people are in search of ways to give them peace. In the same way, we pray for early satisfaction in life and being established early.
This is why we do not need to work for at least thirty years before we can be promoted or advanced. This is because there are people who have not worked that number of years before they got promoted.
This is why the psalmist says, “…by your mercy..”
However, on the other hand, some have gotten promoted because of their yearly progress on the job.
However, there are things the mercy of God can do to get what one would have achieved over a large number of years in just two years- and that is the mercy of God.
If it is the mercy of God, it comes earlier than strength. It comes earlier than strategy.
However, we are not despising the number of years we have worked. The mercy of God comes and should bring us early satisfaction. There is a level of guidance that a man can enjoy that will bring him to the way of peace. Some people are still finding their path in their careers.
There is a level of awareness that brings a man to the path of peace.
Some people are still finding their path in their career journey. They are still trying to find out exactly what they have done.
One of the ways to take hold of the leading of God is to lay hold on the guidance of God.
The Lord knows the end from the beginning. What men got in seven years and it is being brought within a year.
Mercies bring things earlier than strength.
Strategies are good but when the mercy of the Lord is in effect it brings us what we are meant to achieve in ten years and we have them within two years.
One of the ways to take advantage of the peace of God is to receive the guidance and leading of God.
The psalmist says, “…satisfy us by your mercy.”
We can enjoy the divine leading to the path of peace.
For this God is our God. God’s guidance is a channel of peace. When we experience peace we have the knowledge that we are on the right path.
There is a will of God. We must be at the center of His will. One way to enjoy the peace of God is to rely on God.
Psalms 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death (KJV).
He is our guide and our peace. He is our peace as he provide guidance and assurance that comes from knowing we are on the right path. He leads us on that path.
Psalms 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
The Lord is committed to guiding us. If He is guiding us, it is unto the way of peace. Therefore, in desiring the leading of the Lord we desire peace.
Walking in the way of the Lord is to walk in the way of peace.
Psalms 85:8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly (KJV).
As long as the saints of God are hearkening to the voice of the Lord it is the same as walking in peace. The man can decide not to walk in the way of the Lord. However, when we walk in the way of the Lord that is peace.
Proverbs 19:3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD (KJV).
For a man not to walk in the way of the Lord is to walk in his foolishness.
His way is a guaranteed way. It is the way of peace. If we walk in His way He leads us in the way of peace.
We must choose the way of the Lord.
Proverbs 19:3
For a man to walk in his way and not walk in the way of the Lord is folly.
Sometimes the way of the Lord doesn’t seem smart but it is still his way.
Pay attention to his leading, he speaks. We wait for him. We are not afraid or lazy. We are not feeble. We only wait. Others may cut corners but we’d choose the way of the Lord.
The Peace of God guides. When you’re not sure of the outcome his leading is there to fill your heart with peace.