The Three P's - Part 2
Scripture Reading - Proverbs 16:7 KJV
When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
In our previous lesson about the three P’s we discovered that pleasing God can establish peace with your enemies providing a source of divine protection. We spoke of operating in The Ways of God to keep “peace” between yourself, God and your fellowman. When we seek “peace” and ensue it that act alone is “pleasing” to God. The bottom line is all those who choose to “please” God will be sensitive to His leading and that more perfect knowledge of God’s Will for all that you are doing is invaluable. The reason we (ihlcc) choose to follow that message up with Part 2 is to deal with opposition in the midst of walking out God’s Will. In the first message of divine “protection” when walking “pleasing” to God it was clearly articulated that our enemies will be at “peace” with us. Although this simple interpretation of the above verse is true it cannot negate the fact that at certain times opposition will exist during our walk with God. Let us take a few moments to deal with this concept in a biblical fashion. We must all know that all those who live for God will suffer persecution. Therefore when persecution comes don’t suspect that you are doing something wrong because typically when you are doing right persecution will come. Yes, persecution from within, that is the devil and his cohorts will mentally try to discourage you and tempt you to doubt your faith. Whenever we stand for a promise of God there is usually opposition from the evil one to tempt you to rationalize why you don’t qualify for God’s blessing or reason with you why that promise of God isn’t true. Remember, the enemy of your soul is an adversary to all that good and true. So don’t think for one minute that “pleasing” God will automatically stop the wicked one from trying to discourage you. The spiritual enemy of our soul (Satan) will never willingly be at “peace” with us but he is very limited on what he can do against us when we walk “pleasing” to God. The key to this verse is realizing that “peace” comes with a cost. Jesus Christ already paid the ultimate cost of shedding His Precious Blood to redeem you from all sin and the consequences coming from the punishments for sinning. Thus, living in “peace” with our enemy has to be based upon the Gift of salvation given to us at the Holy Cross of Calvary. So although our enemy is not in “peaceful” harmony with us he must reckon with the fact that he cannot just openly harm us whenever he wills. We notice another verse of scripture that states in Malachi 3:8-12 that when we tithe and give offering the Lord will rebuke the devourer for us. This means when we give tithes and offerings we are “pleasing” God and this form of worship to God causes God to protect our financial provision in a greater way by keeping our enemy at bay (at a distance where he cannot hurt us). This does not say we will never be confronted with a difficult situation and/or circumstance but with that confrontation will come the wisdom of God to appease (defuse) both the circumstance and the temptation to fear. The Christian should never worry about defeat when they have a promise of victory from their Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, this type of attitude requires faith which according to Hebrews 13:6 is “pleasing” to God. Now that we have spoken a bit about facing a spiritual enemy we must take that same thought into facing our enemies physically. Yes, we do have physical enemies such as sickness and disease. Although these aliments have spiritual roots they can negatively affect our physical body. To have these enemies to be at “peace” with us we must believe in 1 Peter 2:24 where the Holy Word of God clearly states that “By His (Jesus) stripes you were healed”. So the victory was won by Jesus Christ at Calvary but we must accept that truth as a living reality in our life to be able to operate in “peace”. If we “please” God by whole heartedly believing this truth such that it comes out of our heart and out of our months we force the enemies of sickness and disease to desist from their maneuvers against us (our physical body). When we claim victory over the things coming against our body it is the same as calling those things which be not as though they were.-Refer to Romans 4:17 This is the message (language) of faith that gives us complete victory over the physical enemies of our body. Thus, we have the “peace” of God and this “peace” that passes all understanding will keep our heart and minds and body in Christ Jesus. Remember we are hidden in Christ to keep us from the evils of this world both spiritually and physically bringing God’s divine “protection” over our life. So again operate in God’s Word and Love to be “pleasing” to Him (God) then your enemies must submit to God’s “Peace” whether they like it or not and that position in Christ is blanketed with God’s Divine “Protection” in Jesus Name. Amen!