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. John 14
Jesus said this to the disciples in connection with the coming of His Spirit. When it looked as if defeat had come upon everything they’d hoped for He told them to remain in His Peace. This may be relevant right now for the Body of Believers in these unsettled times. I listened to a broadcast by Andrew Whalen last night on Elijah Streams, where he spoke of seeing a huge killer whale coming to swallow up unsuspecting people. He was trying to warn them of the danger but just then the whale opened its mouth and he saw it had no teeth! He said it was a ‘gummy’, it didn’t have any bite. Things may appear very frightening in the days ahead, but the enemy has lost much of his bite, or ability to harm us. God is removing the power of the wicked.
On a different tack, but still relating to Peace, I’d like to share a test which may be of help in discerning the true motives of people who come to us. The late prophet Kim Clement said, ‘Right words, wrong smell’. The words people used sounded alright, but there was a false odour/bad smell emanating from the speakers. It’s important to discern the spirit behind the words we hear and God will give us insight, if we’re uncertain and ask Him.
Derek Prince, Word from the Word 23/3, entitled a Messenger of Peace, makes a noteworthy remark. In this short word, Derek warns people to beware the ‘Hard Sell’, both in the Material and the Spiritual. Once again he says that people’s words can sound very persuasive, but then he says that when they’ve gone the ‘Peace of God’ may also have gone. After they’ve left we begin to sense that they were speaking out of a wrong spirit and the God’s Peace wasn’t on their words. The loss of that peace is a warning not to buy into whatever they’re trying to sell us, Material or Spiritual. Don’t go there! That’s why a ‘cooling down period is often valuable’. Don’t be rushed into agreeing to something hastily, take time to consider.
Decide in haste, repent at leisure.
God protect us from the deceit of the enemy and wicked people in these days.
May the Lord bless and keep you today. Immanuel, God is with us.