Praying the names of God Series
- Yahweh – The Lord – Promise Keeper – consistent. Faithful –
- El Shaddai – God Almighty – God who is able – Nothing too hard for God.
- El Roi – The God Who Sees – God sees me.
- Jehovah Jireh – The Lord Will Provide – A dependency on God – God desires to meet my needs –
- Jehovah Shammah – The Lord Is There – The presence of the Lord….
- Jehovah Rapha – The Lord Who Heals – God can transform the bitter into blessing. He has the power to heal…. He can fix that which is broken
- Jehovah Nissi – The Lord Our Banner. God is able to protect me.
God is faithful, powerful, all-knowing, provider, ever-present, healer, and protector.
This morning we are going to look at another name for God found in Judges 6:24 “So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace…”
That phrase – The Lord is Peace. Is the Hebrew name for God – Jehovah Shalom –
The Hebrew word Shalom is rich in meaning…
This word encompasses a deep sense of completeness, wholeness, tranquility, rest, harmony. It goes beyond the absence of conflict and reaches all aspects of our life— physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual.
There are a lot of things that can cause us to worry and be anxious:
- Uncertainty in the World: political conflicts, economic instability, natural disasters, and global pandemics.
- Health-related issues – We are getting older!
- Family issues – Dysfunctional families.
- Work Issues – Problems in the workplace – Tension on the job…
Big Idea: Peace is not the absence of trouble but is rather the confidence that God is there with you.
Faith Fact #1
1. God is the Source of Peace: He doesn’t just give peace – He is peace.
24 So Gideon built an altar there to the Lord, and called it The-Lord-Is-Peace…
Jehovah Shalom – The Lord “IS” peace.
The Apostle Paul –
Romans 15:33 (NKJV)
33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Philippians 4:9 (NKJV)
9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NKJV)
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Remember: His name describes His nature – The Lord IS peace – This name reveals that God’s nature is characterized by peace.
Many people read the Old Testament and they say I don’t know how you can believe that God is a loving God – He is a God of war…. He is a God of destruction – He is God that punishes….
They say that because they have never personally met Jehovah Shalom –
Know God – Know Peace…. No God – No Peace
Faith Fact #2 –
2. Jesus is the prince of Peace
Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)
6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Jesus is called the Prince of Peace reflecting His divine nature and the purpose of His earthly mission.
As the Son of God, Jesus came to reconcile us with God,
He came to bridge the gap because of sin – between us and God
He came to restore peace between God and man.
Palm Sunday when Jesus rode into Jersalem on a donkey was a sign and symbol that the King of kings was coming not to rage war but to make peace.
Ephesians 2:14 (NKJV)
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,
3. God desires to give us peace.
John 14:27 (NKJV)
27 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.
This verse reminds us that the peace God offers transcends the temporary and superficial peace that the world can provide.
The peace that God gives us is a gift
There are two types of Peace that God gives us –
The first is –
1. Spiritual Peace – Peace with God.
This is the most important because it affects everything else.
In fact, we cannot experience the next type of peace – without starting here….
You see, whenever we have a relationship that is out of whack, when there is tension or conflict in a relationship- it will rob you of peace and joy. Nothing does that more than being out of whack with God.
Sin causes our relationship to be out of whack with God… We don’t like to talk about sin… sin makes people uncomfortable – but sin is any disobedience toward God…. At the root of sin is rebellion.
It disconnects my relationship with God. It is not that God has distanced Himself from us – We have distanced ourselves from Him…
God doesn’t want us to live disconnected from him. God made you to be connected to him.
Romans 5:1 (NKJV)
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Through Jesus Christ, we can experience peace with God.
The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross brings reconciliation between us and God, removing the barrier of sin that separates us from Him.
Through faith in Christ, we can have a restored relationship with God and experience His peace.
The same people who see God in the Old Testament as a God of war, rage, vengeance, and punishment fail to understand that God took out all of His wrath, vengeance, and punishment on Jesus while He was on the cross dying for our sins so we can experience the peace God offers.
The second is:
2. Experiential Peace – Peace of God.
Philippians 4:6–7 (NKJV)
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:15 (NKJV)
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
In fact, there are over 790 verses about the peace of God in Scripture.
So let me just say it this way – there is a peace for every one of your problems.
Whatever problem you have – God has a corresponding peace.
- For those with a broken heart, he gives us comforting peace.
- For those with a confused heart, he gives us guiding peace.
- For those when we have a regretful heart, he gives us forgiving peace.
- When we have a worried heart, he gives us confident peace.
God has a peace for every problem.
How do we experience the Peace of God?
I need to Focus on Who God is and Trust that God will do what He promises.
We need to concentrate on the nature of God and have faith in His ability to fulfill His promises.
Peace is the fruit of the Spirit. When we yield our life to the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, He is responsible to produce peace in our life.
Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Focus your thoughts on Who God is – How do we do that????
#1 – Spend time in God’s Word –
Grow in your relationship with Him – We come to know God through his word –
#2 – Prayer – pouring our hearts before the Lord and seeking His guidance.
The second part of this verse – Because he Trusts in you….
Everything comes down to this – Do you trust God or not?
Doubt will always cause us to worry
Faith will always cause us to experience peace.
Thank you