Seriously, Why Not Choose Peace?

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27. Those are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Look at it what it says: Peace I leave with you, My Peace I give to you; Not as the world gives, do I give to you.

There are many who lack peace. No matter what they tell you, it is obvious when one’s soul is not at peace. It may reveal itself as an angry nature, depression, lying, gossip, or one that genders strife, isolation from friends and family, and most often, it is revealed through addiction. And sadly, it is a vicious cycle. The more one lacks peace and suffers from stress, the more they turn to the very acts just described.

Beloved, Jesus said, MY PEACE, I LEAVE WITH YOU.

Remember, we are made in the image and likeness of the Godhead. That is, our spirits resemble The Godhead. But our soul, that is to say, our flesh, is formed by our surroundings. For example, the formative years of our childhood are said to be from ages 0-7 (give or take). These years are believed to be the most crucial cognitive (intellectual) stages of our life because it formulates our social, emotional, and physical development - with emphasis on it is believed to be. I do not claim to be a specialist in any of those fields therefore, this said belief is merely for the purpose of providing a more tangible illustration for this message. Therefore, the point is, that we are most affected by external as well as internal conditions.

There is a war going on in our members (our mind, our will, our intellect, our emotions) and for many, that war affects their sleep, their relationships, their thoughts, and even their health.

You see Beloveds, the antithesis of peace is none other than stress.

The Apostle Paul said in Romans 7:20-23 (Amplified Bible):

20 But if I am doing the very thing I do not want to do, I am no longer the one doing it [that is, it is not me that acts], but the sin [nature] which lives in me.

21 So I find it to be the law [of my inner self], that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22 For I joyfully delight in the law of God in my inner self [with my new nature], 23 but I see a different law and rule of action in the members of my body [in its appetites and desires], waging war against the law of my mind and subduing me and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is within my members.

And it is safe to say, we all war (fight) to keep our wits about us, but more importantly, our peace.

I can humbly say, I have accepted the peace of Jesus. The peace He left us, I have taken hold of it, and it is unlike anything in this world, just as He said in the scriptures.

You see, His peace is intentional and purposeful.

If you are steeped so deep in the ways of this world, it is for certain, that you will not have the peace Jesus gave us.

Until you choose to come out from among them (them being the ways of this world) you will continuously seek to have the peace that the world calls peace. And that simply will not suffice. If it did, you wouldn’t have such a longing to satisfy your soul in trying to find peace with a needle and shooting into your veins, snorting up your nostrils, continually drinking from a bottle or can, self-pleasuring by looking at images of that which the scriptures call vile (filth), or even in exorbitant amounts of sexual intercourse. All to anesthetize you - and that being your peace - which lasts but for a short time. And obviously, none is giving you peace.

Because again, that vicious cycle is in play; the more you do, the more you desire, the more you desire, the more you do. And nowhere in that cycle is Jesus’ peace. Those are examples of the world’s way. And Jesus said in the scripture John 14:27, His peace is not as the world gives.

So clearly, we can deduce that there is a distinction between the peace of Jesus and the peace of the world.

Now, you are probably saying in frustration: “woman of God, this is all easy for you to say because you don’t have that warring in your members!” And to that, I respond by saying, “As long as we live and breathe on this earth, the adversary will come at us with attacks designed to keep us stressed, lacking faith, and giving in to our sinful nature; and yes, I am no different; I probably suffer greater attacks by the adversary because I am walking deep in my calling allowing Father to work through me and in me to win souls to the Kingdom of God by snatching them from the hold of the adversary. Of course he does not like that. I am threat to his kingdom of darkness.

The difference between my having Jesus’ peace and you suffering with the cares of this world is a very simple one-word determinant, and that word is: choice.

I choose to serve The Lord, my heavenly Father, with gladness by accepting Jesus’ gift of salvation through His Blood. And nothing and no one can take that from me. It can be forfeited, by allowing it to be stolen! And often times, you give your peace away by being in “messy” situations, that either you created or inserted yourself into. Listen, can I just be real for a moment: if someone is speaking against you, or talking about you in a negative way; you don’t have to respond or react, especially if it isn’t true. Them choosing to gossip and murmur, without knowing all sides of the matter, Is on them them – not you. But you are so self-absorbed and prideful, you feel like “you have to say something do something!” Situations like that, Your peace was not stolen, you gave it away. One of the biggest “peace – killers”, is self-centeredness. This is a cute little rhyme that I like to use when counseling: “it’s not about you boo.” Now, if something negative is said about you and it is true, just remember: we all our sinners; it’s just that those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are sinners saved by his grace! And as Jesus said: “Go and sin no more.”

You lack Jesus’ peace because of the choices you have made. You choose to live according to the world, in this “cancel-culture” thing (as if anyone has the spiritual authority to cancel anyone - whom the Son sets free, is free indeed - John 8:36) and therefore you ascribe to whomever/whatever the latest and greatest is at the moment - tossing your mind to and fro trying to keep up with and be in with the “in” masses.

You have positioned yourself to fit in with the world, instead of setting yourself apart in Christ Jesus. You believe what you wear, what you drive, and what you have in earthly wealth and earthly possessions can give happiness and therefore, if you are happy, you will have peace. That is the not the peace Jesus left us and if you are honest with yourself, you still don’t have peace.

In fact, you are more distraught with life all the more because the world’s system is designed to destroy you, and the first thing it goes after is your peace.

Most go into debt trying to keep up with this world because you fill your mind with what you view on television and what you listen to on the radio. You idolize celebrities as if they are God and created the heavens and the earth. Do you not realize the adversary, Satan is the prince of the power of the air (waves).Ephesians 2:2 - in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,.

John 17:16-20 Amplified Bible

16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth [set them apart for Your purposes, make them holy]; Your word is truth. 18 Just as You commissioned and sent Me into the world, I also have commissioned and sent them (believers) into the world. 19 For their sake I sanctify Myself [to do Your will], so that they also may be sanctified [set apart, dedicated, made holy] in [Your] truth.

20 “I do not pray for these alone [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for [all] those who [will ever] believe and trust in Me through their message,

Do I have peace that surpasses all human understanding? You bet I do! I sleep very well at night, I mind my own business and my own affairs, I do the will of the Father - by walking in my calling and sharing the love of God through His Word to those willing to receive it, and my focus is always on things above and not things below for this world shall pass away.

And many, and I do mean MANY allow the adversary to influence them as instruments of unrighteousness to come at me with slander, gossip, lies, false accusations, etc. And yet my peace remains intact. I am content with what I have or lack thereof. But how, woman of God, how can you not let things affect you?

The answer is simple: choice! I choose to mind my own business and affairs - that alone will give you peace beyond human comprehension - and I choose to live within our means. I have set myself apart to do the will of God and the work of the ministry - being mindful these are His souls and I have been granted, through the gift of salvation, to represent His Kingdom and minister to His creation.

And Rest assured, none of this foolishness on Earth is going on in Heaven. And it will not be allowed to enter into Heaven. So don’t think you will raise Hell on this Earth and make it into His Kingdom of Heaven. I have read the scriptures from cover to cover, twice, it is clear, those that choose the ways of the world will have their place in the lake of fire. Revelation 21:8 - But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

My prayer life is robust. Yours should be also. It is better and much more edifying to be in conversation with The Lord, than any conversation here on earth, unless fellowshipping about the goodness of God with other believers or those who want to come into the fold.

But some of you cannot do that, you still fear mankind and what others will say or think of you, if you do not conform to their ways or the ways of this world. Matthew 10:28 - And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

You are afraid you will be accused of judging and therefore be rejected by those you have given far more credence than is deserving. That is just another trick of the adversary.

My choice is to be a living epistle read of all mankind {2 Corinthians 3:2 - You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:} and be a living witness letting my light so shine before men that they may see, my good works and therefore glorify my Father which is in Heaven. Matthew 5:16 - Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Beloved, you and I are HIS creation. Seriously, why not choose today to live for your Creator and receive His peace.

I am by no means bragging, just sharing my confidence in The Lord! And how my choice has made me so free and able to live in Jesus’ peace! He left His peace for us - and as with the Gift of Salvation, it is free!

Seriously, why not choose peace?

Standing strong in the grip of His grace and His everlasting love,

Apostle & Prophetess Wendy Connor

© Copyright 2022 Wendy Connor