Peace Through Prayer

This is Joanne McNair with the podcast story Mema and answered prayer for stories that point children to God's chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just a few seconds enjoying it, share it, but most of all thank you for listening to The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network and encouraging prayer God offers open imitation for his people to talk with him anytime about anything urgent prayer. Dr. James Banks showing in many other books on prayer provides weekly physical insight help you learn to love about you have struggling with anxiety find rest.

A lot of people do lately. That's what you talking about finding peace through prayer, James, where we start to look at all over Scripture in both the old and new Testaments, really personal topic for me because if I think about one thing God has done for me personally as I saw him over the years is he has given me his peace, but interesting thing is that you don't hear a lot about this about peace through prayer is so even though, for example, I see you praise saying you will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust you with Isaiah 26 three many prophesies of Jesus coming and refers to him as the Prince of peace of you know.

Still, this is something that we miss somehow. And Jesus tells us in John 1427 peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. So we have these wonderful promises of peace as we come to God but the question is do we use them to LSL yet still we often struggle and I believe that's because we fail to make the connection between peace and prayer. We believe in the vital importance of a personal relationship with Jesus, but many believers today also candidly admit they struggle with prayer there experientially aware of their need for challenged by what to do about it. Practically, yeah that's exactly right. Robbie Martin Luther said to be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be a life without bread he think that also raises a problem for us, me breathing is natural and an unforced, you know, and we usually don't see prayer that way but we have to come to a new understanding of it. If it were going to discover the peace that God really wants us to have, so true all her preachers tell us that prayer is hard-working, and certainly a sometimes.

But it's also more than that.

It is so important for for us to understand that Robert is viewing prayers work and cost tired and stressed people to just turn away from it and what we need to do instead is to see it as something that can refresh us because that's how Scripture so often describes our relationship with God look look at Psalm 23, where the Lord leads us beside quiet waters and restores our souls worker look at Jesus and come to me and drink in John 737 that's all about refreshment and we really want that need that reality to James what you're talking about. Again, this concept of relational prayer right that we've emphasized some yeah we we keep coming back arrogantly because that's the way Scripture describes it, just look at Philippians 46 which tells us, don't be anxious about anything, but every situation, by prayer and petition with Thanksgiving present your requests to God. And then it says the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and what this is describing is is kind of prayer that flows out of our daily lives with him.

You know, loving him in the moment thanking him, bringing our request.

Living in the moment with him and that's the kind of prayer you see Jesus doing when he prayed spontaneously, or Abraham who called God's friend or Moses home. Exodus tells us spoke with God is one speaks to a friend.

Yeah, there's a definite pattern. There is neither the really is.

So let's talk about this more practically, from an everyday standpoint, what can we do to arrive at a greater peace through prayer, really.

I think this is one of those times when the journey is more important than the destination. Because God is continually leading us into new places where we can discover his peace. But think about that Scripture tells us that Jesus is the Lord of peace gives peace at all times and in every way that second Thessalonians 316 so really will never come to the end of his peace. We need to understand that first of all, peace is a gift.

He gives us as we spend time with him and something that each of us has to discover for ourselves.

The beautiful thing is we really came, so would you say that we can start by simply asking for his peace.

Yes, absolutely.

But remember to that that we have to stay with him to receive it and and that's a great prayer Lord I received your piece were Lord keep me close. Remember, to the Colossians 315 tells us that we have to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts. So again it's a conscious decision we make to rest in him and receive from him and trust temperature right understanding prayer that way makes such a difference doesn't Scripture also say that the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. That's right. This again that's in Romans and in the same letter, Paul. Praise be to God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him so you know, arriving at Pete peace through prayer comes as we live relationally with God in the moment. Through Jesus. Remember to that. Scripture says that he himself is our peace in Ephesians 2, so peace really is attached to the person of Jesus, and together again. We just need to be with him. While I think about shalom.

There's really a lot there is not there yet. There is think about how pieces is also part of the fruit of the Spirit mentioning the let nations and against you arrive at the same place. Peace that comes from a person to person the Holy Spirit and remember to that. When Jesus promises his peace is promising the gift of his spirit soak rest in him, lean into him in the moment. Ask you Spirit to fill you make up your mind to trust him and he will meet you in that place, wherever you are and bless you with his peace and again that is such a beautiful thing really is. James let's wrap up with a prayer for ourselves and our listeners that will live there more and more. Let's do it all fun.

We praise you for the peace you give us through your son for your spirit and Lord I pray that that you just bless us. Bless our listeners father, bless us to go there more and more the love, trust, receive hear more from Pastor James by visiting the website James Banks.org or by visiting these church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you as you pray.

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