3 Keys to Manifesting the Peace of God

Philippians 4 (New Living Translation) 6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you. INTRODUCTION: Peace is one of those words that everyone understands in their own world of experience. When you hear the word “peace” what do you think about? Do you think about how you feel on the inside? Do you think about the status of relationships in your life? Do you think about the war in Iraq? Do you think about Jesus as the Prince of peace? Do you think about hippies, tie-dyed shirts and peace signs from the 1970’s (show peace sign)? Peace is personal reality. Peace is a powerful revelation. But peace can be fragile and is often conditional. Peace is usually the benefit or result of doing something else first. Having peace and walking in peace with others requires faith and action. Above all, peace is a promise from God. It is a promise that you both deserve and need. Last week we talked about how worry, in all its subtle forms, comes to steal away your peace. Today, we will learn how to manifest the peace of God at all times and under any circumstances. This message will follow a simple three-point outline. We are going to learn about the: 1. Characteristics that Cultivate Peace 2. Roles that Release Peace 3. Modes that Manifest Peace