“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.” Phil. 4:6-8
“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3
If you think I’m going to share with you an amazing praise report about how the Lord answered one of my big prayers, I am not. In fact, if the truth be known, the Lord has not answered many of my big prayers through the years the way I desired. Nevertheless I have an amazing praise report about prayer that should you hear and heed the message contained within, you may look at prayer in a whole new light, have a brand new attitude about prayer, and experience a peace beyond imagination when it comes to your prayers for the rest of your life. This is for all who pray to God in the name of, in the authority of, the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Philippians 4:6-8, the Lord promises those who choose not to worry and pray to Him with thankful hearts an unfathomable peace. A peace beyond description. A peace we can’t even imagine. A peace that exceeds all human comprehension. This peace comes when God answers our prayers like we want Him to answer, giving us what we desire, right? Wrong! There is no contingency plan. He does not promise us His peace based on how He answers our prayers. His peace is unconditional. How can this be?
Isaiah 26:3 helps explain. When we place our trust in Christ, and set our eyes and hearts on Him, focusing on Him, fixing our attention on Him, believing in Him as Lord and living our lives accordingly, gazing at Him, beholding Him, coming into His secret place, into His refuge and hiding place, dwelling on Him, thinking about Him, resting in His love, experiencing His mercy, enjoying His fellowship, having repented and devoting our lives to Him, yielding ourselves to Him, basking in His forever light, holding onto Him, walking in His company, living in His fellowship, deliberately, consciously meditating on God and His Word, taking our eyes off this world and ourselves and others and our circumstances, rejoicing that God promises eternal life to those who belong in faith and devotedness to Christ, living for Christ, abiding in Him, celebrating His lordship, and His friendship, His nearness and closeness, drawing ever closer to Him, living to honor God, wrapping ourselves up in His exquisite embrace, swaying in the hammock of His tenderness, trusting in His sovereignty, knowing that we know that we know God’s will, His ways, are always best, trusting He will answer our prayers however He desires, and that no matter what happens in this world, in this life, we who follow Jesus sincerely and genuinely, living wholly for Him and not for ourselves, not being wrapped up in the cares and concerns of this life, but wrapping ourselves up in Christ Jesus who is Lord of all, we will experience the peace that is Christ, who is Prince of peace, eternal peace, tapping into for the moments, the minutes, the hours, and as we practice this, and learn more and more to do this, the hours and days, and months, and oh, the years, during which more and more we come to find that our hope must be in Christ – where our peace lies, the peace nothing on this earth can touch or change, oh, the peace of Christ, the joy of Christ, the love of Christ, the peace, the peace, the peace of the Lord!
Take your eyes off this world, my friend, and fasten your heart on the Lord. However the Lord answers each and every one of your prayers, know this. We can have and know and rest in His peace forevermore, ever learning to focus on Him, and to return our focus to Him when we become distracted from the One who offers us everlasting peace. The peace of Christ. Lord. Savior. King. Forever. Prince of peace forevermore!