Philippians 4:7-8
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Did you notice that right after Philippians 4:7 speaks about the peace of God keeping your heart, the very next verse instructs us on what to think about? These two things are linked! If I were to sum up how to walk in God’s peace, I’d say it comes down to allowing the Holy Spirit to control your thoughts, your perception and understanding of situations. How you interpret a situation determines how much of God’s peace you experience.
Have you ever had a thought that instantly sent shivers down your spine? The moment you began dwelling on certain things you had heard, panic set in. Before long, your peace was completely gone. Other times, just when you’re on the verge of anxiety, you hear His voice; calm and soothing, telling you not to worry, revealing what the situation really is.
This has happened to me countless times. One incident I vividly remember was waking up to a strange red, whitish, and scaly rash on my shoulder. As I wondered what it was, I did the worst thing anyone could do; I Googled my symptoms!
You know how Google can be; it bombards you with the worst-case scenarios. Before you know it, you start believing you have one of those conditions. And just like that, you give those thoughts a license to thrive, providing a safe environment for fear and sickness to take root in your body.
But mercifully, the Holy Spirit spoke to me. He said, “It’s not what you think. It’s just a bite from an insect you grew up knowing as ‘skirt and blouse’, actually called a rove beetle.” He even revealed when and how it had gotten on my clothes. Amazingly, as soon as I accepted His word, my body responded. That very day, I started healing. This was the same rash that had been spreading and resisting medication!
This is exactly how people lose their peace so easily, and it’s also how people who are controlled by the Holy Spirit seem to always be at peace; unfazed by troubles that shake others.
The Standard of Peace
I remember the first time I came across this scripture. It felt like the most liberating truth I had ever read! It immediately became a standard against every negative thought. Indeed, the Word of God, hidden in our hearts and spoken from our mouths, is the weapon by which we pull down every high thing that exalts itself above the knowledge of God.
Paul, in these verses, generously gave us the key to maintaining the peace of God in our lives. What I do with this scripture was simple; I list out each quality in my mind and test my thoughts against them:
- Toju, is this thought true?
- Is it honest?
- Is it just?
- Is it pure?
- Is it lovely?
- Is it of good report?
- Is there any virtue in dwelling on it?
- Does it lead to praise? Will it cause me to glorify God?
If a thought in my mind fails this test, I immediately reject it.
Casting Down Imaginations
This is the plain and simple way to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
Sometimes, a thought may be based on truth, like receiving a diagnosis of a certain disease. But what benefit does dwelling on it bring? Will thinking about the illness heal you? Will it bring glory to God? Is it noble, praiseworthy, or lovely? Instead of letting the doctor’s report dominate your mind, weigh it against the standard of thoughts God calls you to accept. I believe the Holy Spirit will stir up thoughts of healing, encouragement, and faith and that is exactly where your focus should be.
When a storm arises, what you have stored in your heart determines your response. Either you are consumed by how your mind interprets the storm, or you are emboldened by the understanding God gives you about its true significance.
For example, when you come across scriptures like Psalm 4:8 and Psalm 127:2, and you believe them like a child, that is why you’ll sleep peacefully, even if you once struggled with insomnia. Because God gives His beloved sleep.
That is why, even if your neighborhood is prone to attacks, robberies, or burglaries, you rest easy, “maintaining your steeze,” knowing that He makes you dwell in safety. In fact, He has given His angels charge over you to protect you and ensure no plague comes near your dwelling.
For this same reason, when deadly pestilences strike a nation, school, or neighborhood, you remain at peace, knowing it will not come near you. You trust that only with your eyes will you behold and see the reward of the wicked. This is what it means to let the peace of God garrison your heart.
I once read a powerful story about John G. Lake. During a plague outbreak in South Africa, he was helping the sick without any protective gear. People were shocked that he wasn’t getting infected. To prove God’s power at work in him, he allowed doctors to place plague-infected foam from a victim’s mouth onto his hand. When they examined it under a microscope, they saw that the virus died instantly upon contact with his skin!
He attributed this to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2), believing that God’s power in him repelled sickness and death. His faith in God’s Word kept him in perfect peace and brought glory to God. What claimed the lives of others perished upon contact with him because God’s Word was deeply rooted in his heart.
Jesus told His disciples:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33
Peace is not the absence of battles or troubles
Sometimes, peace doesn’t come from an absence of battles. Think of Daniel and his friends, they had peace because they trusted in God. They were so at peace that they remained unmoved in the face of death.
So, your peace is determined not by the presence or absence of trouble but by your interpretation of the situation, the understanding that God gives you about it.
The storms of life will come, and uncertainty will try to shake you. But when your heart is anchored in God’s truth, fear loses its grip, and peace becomes your reality.
So the next time worry tries to creep in, the next time a troubling thought knocks on the door of your heart-stop. Measure it against Philippians 4:8. If it does not align, cast it down and replace it with the truth of God’s Word. Let the Holy Spirit guard your mind, and you will experience the unshakable peace that passes all understanding.
No matter the situation, choose peace.
No matter the storm, fix your thoughts on Jesus.
And as you do, watch how your heart remains calm in a world full of chaos.
Praise the Lord!
