Summary of Finding peace: part one
Preamble
Brent begins by reading from Isaiah 9:6. He talks about this prophetic message. The full filler of this prophecy will be Jesus, the bringer of peace.
The meaning of peace
Brent covers the three definitions of peace, which he reads from the dictionary. 1. A sense of tranquility. 2. A time without war. 3. A stress-free state of security and harmony. Brent describes this last concept of peace through examples. We all crave this type of personal peace.
The biblical word of peace
Shalom means “completeness and wholeness” and it also couples it with the concept “peace” and “a coupling with God.” It is a complex word for a complex concept of “completeness.”
Jesus, the prince of peace
Brent points out that Isaiah’s prophecy labels Jesus as a bringer of peace.
Our fears – some fear is good!
Brent tells a story of his visit to a massive dam. When he was a child he remembers wanting to get too close to the edge of the dam. Brent tells us about the fear that came over him. This was a good fear that kept him safe. Brent gives a few more examples of fears that lead to good results.
Our fears – some fears cripple us
Brent goes on to give other examples that lead to disastrous results. Brent also discusses how we rationalize our fears and how we begin to believe our crippling fear is good for us.
How to get Shalom (God’s peace)
- Explore the source of your fear. Sometimes fears arise because of past experiences. Satan will help groom our fears so that it becomes our focus and we stop relying on God. Our fears can become our identity, but our identity must be found in God. If you have crippling fears from your past you must seek counselling. It is good to get professional help. This isn’t a failure, it is courage and growth.
- Expose the lie that is feeding your lie. The only way we can expose a lie is knowing the truth. The truth to life is found in the living Word of God (Bible). It will expose the lies you have started to believe as truth and provide to you the actual truth. Brent encourages us to memorize sections from the Bible to encourage us in the areas of our fears.
- Engage your fear head on. Brent uses a story from Bill Hybel’s book Simplify. The story is about a son and father. The son has a terrible dream about falling through ice covering a pond. The next day the father takes his son ice skating on a pond. He knew his child needed to face his fear. The father knew his son would have a temporary relief but it was only a short term gain.
The type of peace Jesus brings
Brent explains that the only way to get the peace that Jesus can provide is to turn to God and trust in God. And further, we must develop a relationship with Jesus because the only way to God is through Jesus.
About this Message Series
The Bible teaches that God’s desire for us is to have a soul-satisfying peace. The reality is that often our lives are instead filled with destructive fear, crippling anxiety, smothering guilt, crushing doubts, and broken relationships. In our Finding Peace series, we will discover how to find the soul-satisfying peace God offers to us. This series was started in December, 2016.
About the Speaker
Brent is the lead pastor here at SouthRidge. He and his wife Pam were part of the original church plant.