Peace Be With You
HillsongNYC Notes from 12/18/11
Pastor Carl Lentz
Title: Peace Be With You
Have you ever found yourself being envious of somebody who doesn’t have as much responsibility as you do??
When you grow up in the life of God, your life changes. What you thought was going to happen might not— you need to grow up. God has something better! It’s on the way, so have peace.
Remind yourself: “My storms around me are ranging, but I have peace.”
You can have peace that changes you from the inside out! (Hint: You don’t need a significant other to have peace! Just Jesus.)
Blessed assurance:
John 14:25-27
NIV:
25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
The Message:
25-27“I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.
John 16: 33
NIV:
33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
The Message:
31-33Jesus answered them, “Do you finally believe? In fact, you’re about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I’m not abandoned. The Father is with me. I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”God has peace for YOU!
**Please don’t mistake peace for comfort!! God’s Will often includes a whole lot of peaceful “uncomfortability!”**
Most of the time when you’re doing what God wants you to do you don’t feel anything…it doesn’t necessarily become magically calm. However, you have the PEACE of God!
Don’t look to “feel” something! **Do what’s right, not what’s comfortable.**
Two ways to produce peace:
(your heart will be still)
1. Stop focusing on the strength of your storm, and start focusing on the strength of your anchor!
-Yeah, you might be in a strong storm…but don’t look at it and dwell on it!
Colossians 3:15-17 (The Message)
15-17Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.
-God is your anchor! You can swim around, but God will still have you grounded in Him! Go out of your depth because He is your anchor!
Always get pulled in to your base, without it you’ll just float around…
-In HIM we have hope, security, healing, peace…etc. He is our rock!!
-Don’t just attend—> *attach* an anchor!!!! The peace of God won’t leave your life.
Remind yourself: “God is with me. God is for me.” If you feel pulling, go back to your anchor.
(God is not confused…His anchor never moves!)
2. Stop praying for the END of the storm, start praying for peace IN the middle of the storm!!
Mark 4:35-40
(The Message)
35-38Late that day he said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?”39-40Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?”
-Jesus calms the storm! He’s still in your boat…so why are you so afraid if even the seas obey him??
-If Jesus is in your boat, it’s going to appear dangerous and lead straight to trouble. But you’re going to be okay and you’re going to make it because Jesus is there! Just have peace.
**The absence of storms in your life means that you have stopped growing!**
-As Christians, we are here to be in the storms!! You’ve got to figure out how to find Jesus in the middle of the storm.
-There’s never goin to be a day when all the ducks line up, as a Christian. You gave that life up! You have to find a way to grow with your life!
Remind yourself who is in your boat..
You cannot chose your storm, but you can choose who you praise during it!
…All YOU need is peace.
****This was one of my personal favorite messages so far at Hillsong. I thought it was very straightforward and it spoke right to me. I heard it at a time when I needed to hear it the most, and it has blessed me ever since. I hope it is a blessing to you as well and helps you to remember how unimportant your actual storm is, but how important it is to have peace during your storm! I’m thankful for what I have learned in the middle of my storms and thankful to have such a strong anchor! Now you kinda understand my obsession with anchors, right?!****
