By Pastor Josiah Kehinde
“But [in the midst of judgment there is the promise and the certainty of the Lord’s deliverance and] there shall be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time [the Lord] brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time He will make it glorious, by the way of the Sea [of Galilee, the land] beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great Light; those who dwelt in the land of intense darkness and the shadow of death, upon them has the Light shined.
“You [O Lord] have multiplied the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before You like the joy in harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil [of battle]. For the yoke of [Israel’s] burden, and the staff or rod for [goading] their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, You have broken as in the day of [Gideon with] Midian.
“For every [tramping] warrior’s war boots and all his armor in the battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father [of Eternity], Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:1-6 The Amplified Bible
Brethren, there was declared the various roles of Jesus: a child, a son, a government, a counselor, God, Father, and a Prince. Despite being mentioned at last, this attribute is not the least, in fact, it is of great significance: Prince of Peace.
Without peace, the continuity of life would not be possible. This is why the Son of God, King of kings has come into the world He created.
Jesus Christ is the only reason we can truly live peacefully with God. The right relationship with God is the foundation of living in harmony with all His creation.
In Jesus, our fears in death are removed and replaced with the gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23).
Moreover, the Son of God has become the Prince of Peace so that we, the children of God, may become the peacemakers (Matthew 5:9, Isaiah 57:19). With the peace of God reigning over our lives, we will see heaven on earth as we are expectantly waiting for the second coming of the Prince of Peace.
Jesus Christ is called the Prince of Peace because :
1. He Restores every broken relationship.
Since the fall of man, sin was “transmitted” to humanity and entered the world with death as a result (Romans 5:12).
Jesus Christ, the perfect lamb of God, has done the impossible work on our behalf through His death on the cross, so that we may have peace with God and others (Ephesians 2:14-18) and with ourselves (Romans 8:1). Jesus Christ has become a mediator (1 Timothy 2:5, Romans 5:1) and an intercessor (Hebrews 7:25) to God, that all who believe in Him may continue to live in His peace.
2. He provides a well-ordered and balanced life
The peace of Christ is a key to have a harmony in life, enabling us to live with a grateful heart (Colossians 3:15). Jesus addresses not only our spiritual needs, but also our emotional and physical concerns. He knows that we need a work-life balance. In fact, Jesus commanded us to work (John 9:4) and rest (Matthew 11:28) in Him, a lifestyle that will bring us a true fulfillment.
As we have been reconciled with God, we are to dedicate our lives to serve for His kingdom, not for our own pleasures. The work of the Holy Spirit produces truth, peace, and joy in us as the kingdom of God becomes our focus and priority (Romans 14:17). God’s peace also unites His people for building up the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:33, Ephesians 4:1-3).
Knowing that Christ is our peace, let us entrust our lives to Him. Let us surrender our burdens (anxieties, doubts, fears, and restlessness) to Jesus that we may experience His perfect peace in our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-7).
3. He assured our eternal destiny
Beyond the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs, every human needs (an assurance of) salvation, because life on earth is perishable, our greatest need is not of the earthly things. Ultimately, we all need an eternal life, a life with the Creator, free from evil, sin, and death.
No man in history has had a courage to promise the eternal life. Only in Jesus Christ, we have that very promise, because He is the author of life who has himself experienced victory over death (Acts 3:15). Jesus is the true God and eternal life (1 John 5:20), therefore He is able to give us the true peace that nobody else can offer (John 14:27). Shalom.
I pray by the Holy Ghost that the LORD will grant you peace, and comfort on every side and envelope you with unspeakable joy in Jesus name. Amen.
Every power troubling your Israel, I pray that the LORD God of Elijah will trouble them by the consuming fire in Jesus name. Amen.
*Pastor Josiah KGS is the senior pastor at GPPM, Lagos.
(+234-805-551-6088
pastorjosiahkehinde@gmail.com)