Sixty-six times we are told in the Bible not to fear. The reason God tells us so many times not fear is that we face things that move us to be fearful all the time. Life is many times very scary.
One of the main causes of fear is a lack of peace. We don’t have peace. Even we who are disciples of Jesus many times lack that sense of peace.
When the Bible talks about peace it does not always mean a lack of conflict. When we are told that we can have peace through a relationship with Jesus, that peace is not an absent of conflict or problems. That peace is a tranquility or rest in the middle of conflicts and problems.
In John 14:27 Jesus says, “Peace I leave you; My peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”
Jesus’ peace is not like the peace of the world. The peace of the world is conditioned on outside circumstances. Jesus’ peace is based on His Spirit dwelling in you.
Paul talks about Jesus’ peace in Philippians 4:7. He says, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
The peace that Jesus gives is:
Beyond human understanding
Guarding our hearts
Guarding our minds
There are four things we need to know and remember to experience the peace of Jesus.
#1: The Person We Serve
2 Timothy 2:8a
Remember Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead and descended from David.
Jesus died for your sins.
Jesus, by His death, gives you the supernatural ability, by the presence of His Spirit, to overcome fear and worry when you acknowledge your sin and accept His death to pay for your sin.
Jesus rose from the dead.
The resurrection of Jesus proves that He is God.
We don’t serve a dead guy.
We don’t serve a way of life or a philosophy of life.
We don’t serve a book or a certain view of the world.
We serve a risen, living person who is Lord!
The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us today.
Jesus was descended from David. Jesus was 100% human as well as 100% God (no I can’t explain that).
Hebrews 2:18
For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.
Jesus was tempted and He suffered through the temptations, so He is able to help us when we are experiencing temptation.
Hebrews 4:15-16
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus was tempted as we re, but He did not let the temptation lead to sin. He cannot only help us, He can and does give us victory over the temptation. We can with confidence come to Jesus and find mercy and grace.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about serving Jesus and, in the serving, experiencing peace. We can have peace by serving Jesus because He was tempted but did not sin, died as our perfect, sinless sacrifice and rose from the dead.
#2: The Power of God’s Word
2 Timothy 2:8b-9
This is my Good News. This is the reason I’m suffering to the point that I’m in prison like a common criminal. But God’s word cannot be imprisoned.
Paul was in prison, being treated like an “evil doer” or felon for teaching the Gospel. Paul was not whining about it. The truth is that while in prison Paul was ministering to the guards and other prisoners and writing may of the letters to the church that are now part of the New Testament.
Paul says that even if he is imprisoned, the Word of God is not.
The Word of God is powerful.
Isaiah 55:11
It is the same with My word. I send it out, and it produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.
God’s Word will never be void of effect in people’s lives.
Hebrews 4:12
For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The power of God’s Word is that it penetrates to the very core of who we are, It shows us what is really in our hearts. It showed us how God can change our hearts.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about allowing the power of God through His Word to change our minds and hearts and make them like Jesus’.
#3: The Reason for Our Problems
2 Timothy 2:10
This is why I endure everything for the sake of those who are chosen by God so that they too may experience salvation in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
Paul was willing to endure suffering so that the Gospel might be spread and people would be saved.
I am not impressed with people whose testimony is that God has made them rich.
I am not impressed with people whose testimony is that God has given them great power or position.
I am not impressed with people whose testimony is that God has given them great health and they have never been seriously ill.
I am impressed with someone who has cancer and is still praising and serving Jesus.
I am impressed with someone who is sacrificing comfort and convenience to serve Jesus.
I am impressed with someone with huge obstacles and disadvantage who is serving Jesus.
Most people can serve Jesus and praise Him when life is good. People who have been radically changed by Jesus serve and praise Him when life is not good.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is abut being willing to sacrifice and suffer so that people have the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel.
#4: God is Faithful
2 Timothy 2:11-13
This is a trustworthy saying: If we die with Him, we will also live with Him. If we endure hardship, we will reign with Him. If we deny Him, He will deny us. If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He will not deny who He is.
If we die to sin, we will live with Jesus now and forever.
If we persevere (showing our submission to Jesus’ reign in our lives), we will reign with Jesus as our King.
If we reject Jesus, He will not acknowledge us now or in eternity.
God’s faithfulness toward us is not dependent on our faithfulness toward Him.
God promised that He will:
not abandon us
not stop loving us
not lie to us
God’s faithfulness is seen in the truth that what He says He will do, He WILL DO.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about experiencing the peace of God by:
Remembering the Person we serve
Remembering the Power of God’s Word
Remembering the Reason for our problems
Remembering that God is Faithful
In the Peace of God Raising the Roof and Removing Walls
Joe
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