Day 11: Kingdom Peace: Living Without Fear - 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting
A Peace the World Cannot Give
Welcome to Day 11 of our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. We are now past the halfway point, and today we turn to a gift every one of us needs: the peace of God.
On the night before He went to the cross, Jesus said to His disciples:
“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 14:27 (NIV)
Think about when He said it. Betrayal, arrest and crucifixion were only hours away. Jesus was not speaking from a quiet place. He was speaking from the edge of the storm, and He still had peace to give away.
Two Kinds of Peace
The World’s Peace
The peace the world offers depends on conditions. It arrives when the bills are paid, the test results are clear and nobody is arguing. It is real while it lasts, but it leaves as soon as the conditions change.
The Peace of Jesus
Jesus calls it “my peace”. It is the calm He Himself carried, the peace of a Son who knows that His Father is in control. That is why it does not depend on what is going on around us. Kingdom peace is not the absence of trouble. It is the presence of the King.
Jesus was honest that in this world we will have trouble. In the same breath He told us to take heart, because He has overcome the world (John 16:33).
How Peace Replaces Fear
Peace Stands Guard
Paul tells us not to be anxious about anything, but to bring every situation to God in prayer, with thanksgiving. Then the peace of God, which is beyond our understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7). Peace is pictured as a soldier on duty at the door of the heart.
Peace Follows Trust
Isaiah says that God keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in Him (Isaiah 26:3). Peace is not something we produce by trying to feel calm. It follows when we fix our minds on who God is.
Peace Has an Address
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way (Psalm 46:1–2). We are not told that the earth will never shake. We are told where to stand when it does.
Three Steps for Today
Name the fear. Write down what is troubling you. Be specific, and bring each thing to God in prayer.
Trade it. For every worry on your list, thank God for one thing that is true about Him. Let thanksgiving do its work.
Speak the promise. Say John 14:27 aloud whenever anxiety rises today. Let the words of Jesus have the last word.
Fasting quietens the noise of life so that we can hear Him. As you fast today, hand over what you cannot control to the One who controls everything.
Prayer for Today:
Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me Your own peace. I bring You the fears and worries I have been carrying. I cannot control them, but You are Lord over them all. Guard my heart and my mind. Help me to trust You when the ground shakes, and let Your peace in me be a help to the people around me. In Your name, Amen.
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