Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ... Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ... And the God of peace will be with you.
In this passage we are introduced to the Peace of God as well as to the God of Peace. And this is amazing! – a miracle. For if there is peace now, there must have been war. You see, peace only comes after a war is over and a victory is declared.
Let’s look at this Peace of God in the past, in the present and in the future:
In the past—there was war.
We were God’s enemies.
Our sin was a declaration of war against God. We rebelled and did not obey Him. In fact, we didn’t like anything He likes. We all like sheep went astray.
So how can this be fixed? How could we be made at peace with God? How can all this hate and war be smoothed over and put aside?
It didn’t start with us.
No, it started with God. Jesus, who is our Peace, destroyed the wall of hostility.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
He came to love us and Jesus the Son of God, the Prince of Peace, came to be punished in our place. This is why cane now have Peace.
In the present—we are promised peace
Notice that it says: “the peace of God” and then it also says “the God of peace will be with you.”
—O blessed thought, O happy and great comfort! God with us, not to condemn us, not to harm us, but to help us and to give us peace! Elsewhere it is written that “we have peace with God.” This is a certainty. This is settled. If we are truly His children and if we truly love Him and make Him our Lord, we have peace!
But we also have a job to do in the present:
We are told not to be anxious
but to pray and to give thanks.
We are also told to think about whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, lovely and excellent, whatever is praiseworthy.
And what is more noble than God’s love for us?
Who is more excellent than Jesus?
Who is more pure, more lovely, more worthy of praise than Jesus Christ?
You see, we are to fill our minds with Christ
Then we have peace, sweet peace, blessed peace of God.
Then we are given a promise for the future:
A promise for the future—
This peace of God will guard our hearts and our minds.
He will protect us with His peace.
His peace will not suddenly go away.
No! The God of Peace Himself is here with us.
God will not change His mind
God cannot be moved
Therefore I know that His Peace will and will continue to guard my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus.
And I know that His Peace will guard your hearts and minds
if you have trusted Him
if Jesus is your Lord and Savior
Think on these things and His Peace will be with you; and the God of Peace Himself will be with you.
"The LORD bless you
and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace."
